How a mindless scroll led to a weekend binge (And why I'm not sorry.)
TikTok is dangerous, and I have the evidence to prove it.
First, it convinced me to buy a stack of books that now serve as expensive bookends on my nightstand. Then, just when I thought I was safe, it did something far worse.
It introduced me to The Summer I Turned Pretty.
You know how it starts.
Those perfectly edited reels keep appearing on your FYP. Then suddenly you're thinking, "Let's just watch one episode. See what all the fuss is about." The algorithm knows exactly what it's doing, serving up those sun-drenched clips of beach houses and beautiful teenagers until your curiosity finally wins.
And win it did.
What began as innocent curiosity turned into a full-blown obsession.
Before I knew what hit me, I had devoured all three seasons, well, up to Season 3, Episode 3, because apparently, even Amazon Prime wants to torture us with weekly releases.
Here I am, a 50-year-old adult, suddenly transformed into a teenager again, passionately defending Team Conrad to absolutely no one while my chores were neglected and takeout containers accumulated on my dining table.
My kids got fed (thank goodness for delivery apps), but my weekend? Completely hijacked by Cousins Beach drama.
The most embarrassing part?
I regret nothing.
But, here's what surprised me most about falling down the TSITP rabbit hole: this show is so much more than the “Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah” debate that dominates social media.
Yes, the love triangle is there, and yes, it's compelling in that way that makes you want to shake your phone and yell at fictional characters.
Beneath all that romantic tension lies something much deeper.
Here's what I love about it (And why it hit so hard): If you want to avoid spoilers, this is your warning to stop here.
1. Soulmate friendship: An unbreakable bond
“Best friends are important. They're the closest thing to a sister you'll ever have.”
Watching Susannah and Laurel's relationship unfold on screen, I saw my own friendships reflected back at me.
At my age, I've come to deeply appreciate these connections. The way I can talk more openly with my girlfriends than I do with my husband sometimes. The bond is different. The connection runs deeper.
That devastating moment when they discovered Susannah's cancer had returned?
I cried buckets. Actual buckets.
The thought of losing my closest friends is unbearable, and the show captured that fear with brutal honesty.
2. Sibling dynamics that feel too real
As an eldest child, Conrad's character resonates with me on a visceral level.
Sometimes, as the eldest, we think we need to be the bigger person, make decisions that benefit everyone, only to have our sacrifices go unappreciated.
I see these same patterns playing out with my own children. My eldest carrying responsibility like Conrad, my second navigating their role like Jeremiah.
The show understands that birth order shapes us in ways we don’t even realise, and watching these dynamics play out feels both painful and validating.
3. Young love (And why we never get over it)
Who doesn't remember how everything felt monumental when you were young?
The part of me that appreciates a good story loves watching young love unfold in all its intensity. The way a simple gesture could make your entire day, how every emotion was turned up to eleven. Watching Belly navigate her feelings brought back that rush of first love, when everything mattered so intensely it hurt.
But then there's the older, more grounded me, the one screaming at my screen for Belly to smarten up because, seriously, you're gorgeous and there are literally other men in the world.
I find myself wanting to yell at Conrad, too: "It's okay, Connie baby, twenty years from now, you'll get over it and look back at this fondly. Life goes on!"
It's this constant internal conflict between my romantic heart and my practical brain that keeps me completely hooked.
I'm simultaneously swooning over the grand gestures and rolling my eyes at the drama — living vicariously through their intensity while wanting to shake some sense into them.
Maybe that's the real genius of the show. It lets us experience both the beautiful naivety of young love and the hard-earned wisdom that comes after.
4. I apparently have a thing for brotherly love triangles.
I've just realised something about myself that may be slightly concerning.
I have a definite pattern:
Apparently, I'm drawn to love triangles involving brothers like a moth to a very dramatic flame.
Do I have a problem? Absolutely not.
Give me all the drama, all the complicated family dynamics, all the “choosing between brothers” angst.
This is peak fictional romance, and I'm here for every messy moment of it.
5. The soundtrack I'm enjoying (But making my kids cringe)
Can we talk about the music, please?
Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Can't Stop" when Conrad walks into therapy? Chef’s kiss.
Radiohead's "No Surprises" after that excruciating lunch scene? Perfect.
The show also introduced me to an array of new music that I'm now enthusiastically singing along to, much to my children's chagrin.
They're more embarrassed by me now more than ever because I'm "trying too hard to be young and cool."
Whatever.
If appreciating good music is a crime, lock me up.
But wait, it gets worst…
Want to know the ultimate sign of obsession though?
I've started reading the actual books.
No. I'm not kidding.
I've put aside Priory of the Orange Tree (for the fifth time. Seriously, does that plot ever pick up?) to dive into Jenny Han's trilogy.
Also, can we take a minute to appreciate how pretty the cover of this Penguin edition is, please?
My current read can wait. I need to cleanse TSITP out of my system properly, and apparently, that means consuming it in every possible format.
The verdict: TikTok wins again.
So yes, TikTok is dangerous.
It turned a 50-year-old, fairly responsible woman with mostly acceptable life choices into a TSITP addict, ordering pizza for lunch on a Sunday because I just could NOT pause for lunch until I finished one more episode.
It made me care deeply about the romantic choices of fictional teenagers.
It reminded me what it feels like to be completely absorbed in a story.
And honestly?
I think that’s okay. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it's okay to get swept away. To feel things deeply. To root for Team Conrad with the passion of someone who’s forgotten she has bills to pay, kids to feed, and a back that now clicks when she stands up too fast.
The Summer I Turned Pretty might be marketed to teens, but its themes are timeless.
Love, loss, family, friendship, growing up. These experiences don't have age limits. Neither does the joy of finding a story that makes you forget everything else for a weekend.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check when Episode 4 drops.
And maybe finally tackle the dishes.
But first, let me just read one more chapter...
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